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July 11, 2023
Navigating Life's Storms with Jesus: A Faith Deepening Discussion
Join us on our journey as we discuss the power of the Holy Spirit and learn about the importance of surrendering to God and His kingship. We explore the concept of mis-expectations and how they can lead to disappointment. Listen closely as we offer ways to equip ourselves with the right perspective on surrender and discuss how we can move from the outer circle to the inner circle of fellowship, taking steps forward in our faith.
Listen in as we analyze the power of Jesus and His ability to overcome even the most extreme circumstances. We examine the disciples' fear in the boat during a great storm, and how Jesus was able to calm the winds and the seas. We contemplate why the disciples were so afraid and look at the importance of having a proper perspective in the face of the unknown. Finally, we reflect on how we can be prepared for tribulation, even after being saved, and share personal experiences to illustrate finding strength in God's promises.
Brace yourself for an engaging episode filled with heartening discussions, personal anecdotes, and insightful lessons that promise to deepen your faith and bring you closer to God's love. Join us and be inspired.
Chapters
Transcript
0:00:26 - Speaker 2
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that He has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that He has a real hope and a future for you.
0:01:06 - Speaker 3
We have a great treat because Pastor Moe is going to bring the Word today. Yes, you know, pastor Moe is our community pastor. He loves on you, he is a fantastic leader in our church and he has a great Word that he wants to share with you. So you gave a little preview, but let's put our hands together and give a thunderous applause as we welcome Pastor Moe to the stage.
0:01:33 - Speaker 1
Well, bless the Lord. I mean, was it really thunderous though? Good morning church. How you guys feeling Good, good By show of hands. How many people were here last week? Raise your hand, god. I love the good retention rate. Praise God.
Well, for those of you who weren't here, pastor James actually did the preaching and he gave a tremendous Word. If you haven't heard it yet even those that are watching online, if you haven't heard it, stream it, watch it. It's on YouTube, all of our streaming platforms, online social media go and listen to this message. It will bless, strengthen and encourage your life. It will challenge you, but in a good way. I'm not like a challenging, like you go to the gym and then you hate your personal trainer type of thing. I don't mean like that, like it'll literally make you want to be better. You know he preached on going big The. You know BIG. Like BIG, go big. You know the B is for being present. Don't just be a religious person who goes to church. Actually be present, but then go a step further, even from that, and get involved, and then, finally, you would give You would. He actually shares something with us often when, within our staff meetings, he speaks about these concentric circles of fellowship. So literally you can start on the periphery and the outside and the more you get acclimated and comfortable in your faith, you continue to take these steps forward into the inner circle where you're not just an attender, somebody who's coming a little bit after worship just started and then leaving a little bit before the service ends, so you don't have to talk to anybody, listen if that's, you just say amen and move on. We're growing, we're growing, but you know you get to take these steps inward and upward Amen. So for me, all of that, when I heard the message, what I really heard was a boiled down invitation to surrender, to surrender, total life surrender to Jesus and his kingship and his lordship.
You know, i've learned that over my extensive Christian history and really that would be where my daughter would just call me old. I was telling people in the 10 am. Sometimes I want to punch my daughter in the throat. Only the parents understand that All the singles are like Pastor Moe. I mean, if you have kids you understand like I really really love my kids and guess what I like them. They're like really fun to hang out with. But every now and again I just want to punch her in the throat and not like a I don't want to like pull back, i just real quick just to just to move, because you know she has this way of like not being rude because she's actually telling the truth, but it's staying so bad because it's the truth.
So, like I said, she would say that I'm old, but I've learned in my extensive Christian history I literally hear her in the back of my head pretty old that if Jesus this is what I've learned that if Jesus is not Lord of all, then he's not Lord at all. Meaning that you can't compartmentalize and put these different areas to say, well, this one is fully devoted to Jesus, this one, i'm working on this It's either you give yourself totally to the fact that you're not yours anymore and you were bought with a price and you actually belong to him, or you're going through the motions of some form of religion and posturing and preening of getting God's approval unnecessarily, because really what the Lord is calling us to and what Pastor James was challenging us into is surrender, and I think the most perfect follow up to that message is to equip the saints with the proper perspective on surrender, the proper perspective of the surrendered. I should say Amen, we're in for a treat. Oh, and how about this? I've learned that mis-expectation gives birth to disappointment, and the reason that I'm saying that is because, again, i want to equip you and I want to arm you with the proper perspective. How many of you have ever believed and hoped for something, only to see it not line up exactly the way you thought it was, and you were disappointed? This is amazing. Thank you, james. Listen, i'll give you some help right now.
For all the married folk. You can lie right now because your spouse is next to you. If you're married, you've experienced this before where you have had an expectation of one thing and that thing did not happen the way you thought it was and it gave birth to disappointment. And because there was disappointment and repeated disappointment, it actually furthered itself into resentment and that grew into bitterness. See, people say that the number one reason that people fail marriages and get divorced is because of money. I would say right up there, 50-50 with it, is uncommunicated expectations, where now you're believing and desiring the person to do A, but you've not actually taken the time to articulate that desire, but you're expecting them to do it and when they don't do it, you feel the way and it births this horrible vicious cycle. I know you won't say A man, but you will say okay. So we need this perspective. If we're going to go big, we have to have the right perspective and make sure that we have proper expectations so we're not caught unawares.
You know, the other day I had a financial advisor in my home and it's not that I was like eliciting all this and maybe he works like one of the big banks. I didn't really have him over to elicit financial. We were just talking basketball, eating chicken wings. It's what we do. He's a man of God, he's a friend, and we were talking a little bit about this particular topic and he chimed in. He said you know, i often tell people who come to me wanting to make investments that you have to give them a preview of the climate, of what it will look like. Some people tell you right off the bat like, okay, i want to get you know maybe minimal gains that involve low risk, so maybe 2 to 5%, 5 to 7 or something like that And he gives them like, listen, he gives them the full update of. You can do that, but understand, in the course of time there will be some highs, there will be some lows, there will be some dips, and I just want to prepare you for it so you don't freak out when it comes and then take all your money and run. He said now and there are some people who go, no, i want 5 to 8, sometimes 10, and he's like, listen, we can do that, but again, you need to prepare yourself. There will be some highs, there will be some lows and there's the potential for risk and loss. We need to prepare ourselves in the same way. You ready to take the ride with me? Okay, okay, mark 435. On the same day, when evening had come, he said to them let us cross over to the other side. Now, when they had left the multitude, they took him along in the boat as he was, and other little boats also with him, and I got a note right there when it says that it took him as he was.
We're speaking about Jesus, but the context of this is that Jesus has been ministering from sun up to sun down. He is now. This is where he is positionally. He is on a boat a little bit off to shore and, because of the geography of that area, there were cliffs and mountains and it almost created a natural amphitheater where his voice was pushed off of the wind and it was able to be amplified. And here he is ministering to thousands for the entire day.
How about this? to give you a little insight sometimes, into what preachers experience Everything that tried to stop you from getting here today, everything that tried to discourage you and make you not want to engage in the things of God and comfort community. I now have to wrestle with every one of them that followed you, because it's my job today to deliver the word of God, and there's only like a hundred or something people in here. He was doing it with thousands ministering and coming against all the spiritual opposition and resistance, And it's not a thing ever to be afraid of, because we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, amen. But it is something to take note of because the Bible is very specific and clear and not one period, not one team. Everything is in there for no reason, and it says that they took him as he was. The man was tired, so let's continue.
Let's start with verse 36. Now, when they had left the multitude, they took him along in the boat as he was, and other little boats also with him and a great windstorm arose and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. And he was in the stern, in the back of the boat, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke him and said to him teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Then he arose and rebuked the wind in the sea and said peace, be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But he said to them why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly and said to one another who can this be that even the wind and the seas obey him? So what do we see here? Another classic example of the disciples freaking out. But I think it's funny, though, because it's not just them freaking out, it's specifically why they're freaking out. Have you ever looked at this and thought to yourself what exactly is the problem? When I look at this, what the Lord is highlighting to me they were freaking out because Jesus was in the boat And I look at this with the Lord is highlighting to me. They were freaking out because Jesus was in the boat. Jesus wasn't outside the boat, he wasn't on the shore, he wasn't in another country, he was in their boat And they thought they were going to die with Jesus in their boat.
Some of you might not be able to identify OG Christians. They'll let you know. Man, listen, i've been through some rough roads but Jesus was with me. Because when you're new and you don't have the proper perspective and things start going awry, you don't exactly know what to think. But when you look and see Jesus in your boat and you still are facing circumstances that you wouldn't choose for yourself, hello See, the disciples were in this place where they were thinking we've got the son of God, We've got Jesus.
It's all roses, baby. Jesus said let's go to the other side, let's go. Everything was all gravy. When it was all good, they thought it was all roses. But Come here, come here, come here. Jesus smelled amazing and they looked beautiful. But they've also got thorns.
I told my wife when she walked in. I said you're going to have to pray my strength, because it always just happens that the Lord always wants to give me the messages that are not rah, rah, happy. Hey, man, brother, go for it. I want to invite you today to have the proper perspective on the fact that trouble is coming, tribulation is coming Man. I love problems So amazing. Nobody ever says that.
But here these disciples are experiencing this firsthand an unfortunate truth that every one of us is going to have to come to grips with. That even after getting saved, you are not exempt from the human experience, because if you're going through something and you're unaware of what's about to happen next, you are blindsided thereby. I almost feel like I want to do the object lesson. But again, as I said in the first service, nobody wants to get punched in the face on a Sunday morning. Keith, could you stand up? Keith is a large, nice, healthy man. I feel like with enough force and enough strength I might be able to push Keith over. But if he has his eyes open it gets harder and harder to do that because he's prepared and he can brace himself and go not today festival. But if he closed his eyes and he didn't know what direction I was coming from or how fast I might can get him. Thank you, brother.
So we know that sometimes these things, that again we would never pick for ourselves, these unsavory circumstances and situations, if we're not looking for them and we don't think that it's possible that they can come, we have our eyes closed like the emu bird of the ostrich and just put our head in the sand. When these things do come, you will get caught on a wares, and that is not what the Lord has called you to be. He called you to be circumspect and sober, to have your wits about you and to be ready When he calls you to go big and to take this next step, to go in. You didn't realize this. He wasn't just calling you to be a Christian, he was enlisting you to be mobilized in an army. Two people got excited for that.
I literally just heard in my spirit some people like listen, i was just trying to get out of hell. What It's real. But let me tell you what Jesus says. John 1633 says this This is Jesus speaking These things. I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.
It's another word for trouble. It's another word for unchosen circumstance, problem issues, drama. Everybody likes drama. But I love what he says Be of good cheer. He says you're in the world and the world is going to give you stuff that you don't want, but I have overcome the world and in me you have peace, hallelujah. I just want you to prove this point further. Really, all of this is today is me equipping you with the fact that trouble is coming, yay, but I just want you to have the perspective so that you're not shaken. I don't want you like this and somebody pushes you over. I want you standing ready so that, even before they come, you really want to do this. Listen, that's a whole other preaching, where you can look at trouble even before it comes and you can go. I did See. Let me share a little bit about. I'm going to go there just for the sake of realness, so that people can understand this. There are normal people and then there are African Americans. I'm going to say this, don't be offended.
I've been African American a long time. I know this. This is real. We have a wish spirit sometimes. My wife will tell you this. I'm one of the most holy men on this planet. I'm a lover of Jesus, but sometimes my fuse is real short and the Lord is working with me every day to make it better. And I also, too, have a wish spirit because sometimes, when I'm driving and people cut me off, i go.
I wish you would. When I'm waiting in line and things are not going right, and I go I wish you would. But, like I said, the Lord is working with me. I don't need you to judge me. They all judge me already. Where were we? These issues? they come right. I need you guys to be prepared. I need you to be strengthened. I need you to look at your issues as they come and go. I wish you would. I have access to the name of Jesus. The Bible says that all things are subject to the name of Jesus. The very weather, elements and circumstances of all of creation is subject to the name of Jesus, and all authority under heaven and earth has been given unto Jesus, who is the head of the church, and I am his body. I wish you would. So it's not all bad to be a wish person.
So let's look at Paul for a minute. We can all identify Paul as somebody who's going big. There's a real Christian. He's showing up, he's volunteering, he's going to Pastor Moe's life group, the tendons is. He gives, he serves. He is a committed Christian in the kingdom, amen. But let's read about some of the circumstances of his life. And just for context, even before we start reading, he's in this situation because he has been falsely imprisoned, shipwrecked and awaiting trial before Caesar. That's just some of the context. Let's read This is a man who wrote about two thirds of the New Testament, a man that God chose, who he knew God, a man who went to the third heaven and heard things that it was not legal for him to say when he got back to earth. But this is a man who knew Jesus, but yet this was his life.
Acts 28, verses two to six. It says the people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us. As Paul gathered in an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other a murderer no doubt. Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live, but Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead, but they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn't harmed. They changed their minds and decided he was a God.
I could literally see some of us in that circumstance. I have seen Christians lose their salvation, start cursing God because they stub their toe Here. This man is imprisoned for the sake of the gospel and he is just the happy go lucky one trying to encourage everybody. They just been shipped, wrecked, almost lost their life and he is gathering sticks to be helpful. Like the Lord is going to join the Lord and with me. I'm going to get these sticks right here, throw them on the floor.
Notice that the Bible doesn't say, after the snake bit him, that he cursed God. The Bible doesn't say that he started screaming Why Jesus? The Bible doesn't say that he started complaining. The Bible says that he did what? See, when you have the proper perspective when circumstances come, you will actually learn from Jesus's example. Jesus handles storms differently than you do. Remember, jesus was in the boat and anything and anywhere that he is, he does for an example to us. He showed us what we need to do to our storms. That's how you should be treating the trouble in your life. Now I'm good, i Know who's with me, i know where I'm going. But we don't do that. We freak out. Oh my god, did you see that bill Man, the IRS is calling me Pastor James.
Oh man, i don't know what I'm gonna do about this. And we worry and we do the thing. We circle, circle, circle, circle problem. We call people to circle the problem with us And we're not exactly looking for prayer or solution. We just look to talk about it or complain about it and go Who? I mean, i don't understand. I'll be praying.
I go to church. What? why, yo, a couple months back, on a Wednesday, we have two cars in our family. Just because you know, sundays become hard because we got to go different directions. My wife doesn't work for the church, so she shouldn't be here at seven in the morning when we start setting up, amen. I Get a call. My car has been wrecked in a hit-and-run on the highway. This is Wednesday. Thursday I get a call that the second car has been hit-and-run on the highway.
Now there's the temptation to go And complain and moan and Be grudge God and say I don't understand you, god. I Shake my fist in frustration. The temptation is there, but I serve a bigger God who, just like the disciples in the boat and this is the part that we miss sometimes He has prepared us how to handle these circumstances. They don't just come because what did he tell the disciples on the boat even before they hit the waters? Let's go to The other side. See, that's a small detail, but some of us have been missing that in our life. When God gives you a word, that is the encouragement and the direction and the empowerment to face anything, because I don't have to worry about the in-between. If God told me the end result already, he said let's go to the other side. That's important, because it's one thing. If I tell you hey, meet me down at the Jerk shack or shake shack, whatever they call his place, okay, maybe he might show up, maybe he not, but when God says something, do you know that the God that we serve.
He cannot lie, no, no, no, i'm serious like he can't. It's not that he's just Morally upright and chooses never. He can't lie. There's too much power at play. When he said let there be light. History and science has told us that from the moment light has existed, it has gone for. So really, that moment looks more like this let there be light and lights said like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like. And to this day, science has confirmed that our universe is ever expanding. Because he said it and it has no choice but to be So.
When you get God Almighty, who sits on the throne, who died in your place for you and as you and redeemed you, and he tells you go to the other, the problem I have sometimes is we don't actually believe. We take a cursory believing because it sounds nice, but we don't Internalize that thing so that it affects all of our decision-making. Because, again, if we would truly get this, what it really means Is that when God says that he, he's not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent, what he's trying to say is I can't lie, meaning if God said today that this microphone was black, all of creation would have to conform itself because he said that it was white. So the reason he can't lies because there's too much power. And when he says that you are gonna make it, you got to stop giving into your feelings, because your feelings that have you up one day and then down another, you eat a little bit of pizza and you'll wake up thinking life is gonna end, when really all you have to do is go back three steps to the anchor point and the cheat code that he gave you to, which says Let's go to the other side. See, jesus acts them very pointed and specifically. What's that? Oh, that's the pastor Muhammad paraphrase Bible. By the way, he said what's up? number one, you messed up my nap, but uh, i like. Why are you worried? I, oh, i already said Go to the other side, meaning there's not anything in the created world that can stop you from. Oh God, i wish we could get that. We would be so empowered for victory if we would take him at his word the first time.
I Can't tell you how many times I have seen Circumstance in situation that I would never choose for myself, and it comes. But I remember what he said initially And I'm not listen. I wish that I could tell you that I've gone through these circumstances Like a proud Christian soldier. I have been dragged by the will of God, kicking and screaming and complaining, only to end up at the other side and go. Man, i knew you had it all along, jesus. It's only a 21 day fast, bro, he's a. Then I call you to the back. I know you call me to the fast, jesus, but the burgers be calling me law. Oh, and you know you, you go through these things.
But I've learned, having come on the other side of so many times, god's faithfulness coming through, that when I get to the valley, i Remember the mountain top of answered prayer, the mountain top of God's faithfulness. You know, i asked my wife the other day because she's believing, since for some things I said you know, do you? do you remember the feeling For the last time? he answered the prayer And you might say well, what is feeling have to do with that? because feeling will encourage you and remind you back to that point Of faith when you said no, i trust God to do that and regardless of what happened on the in between. The end result was he did it. Sometimes you got to go back to that moment and that's your monument stone, that that is your Shepherd stick, like David, where you write the testimonies of God and you go. I remember when I was in need And the Lord came through and he did it. And he did it contrary to everything that was around me, because how many know that sometimes, when the Lord gives you that, that word of direction and confirmation, that Prophetic word that encourages you, that word of instruction that commands you to go forward, that sometimes not sometimes pretty much all the time After he says that that what's going to be presented to you is the exact opposite of what he said.
Come on, single people, listen, i haven't been married that long that I don't remember. I'm gonna bless you with a wife. And then it got real cold, it got real lonely. It's like Lord, have you forgotten me? Jesus, feel like I'm in Siberia over here. Where's the love To? one day she just showed up.
You cannot make this stuff up, like when I look you, some of you don't, and I hate this as a pastor, because We, we, we don't like to encourage people with these supernatural stories of how you met your spouse, And sometimes it's super normal and it's not supernatural. I just happen to have one that kind of is. But, but I encourage the normal. Have some coffee with your friends and look, this is taking a left turn, but I feel in it. Oh, i got to encourage the single people like listen, because we're waiting for this Magic moment between people and really all you really need to be doing right now as a single person is doing your best, living your Christian life in community. When you start running for the Lord, i Don't need you to now be evaluating and praying 21 days Lord the one, you just do your part and you run for the Lord and you run after him and you seek his face and you go big. And While you're going big and you're running, i want you to look to the left and I want you to look to the right and I want you to look at who's keeping pace. Listen, don't you be looking back to the club where they don't even know there's a race. That's not it. Look at who's like. They might not even notice you. They running so well They don't know how to look left to right, so you might have to lovingly encourage them and go. Hey, i, i've been running this race and I kind of noticed that You kind of keep in pace. Listen, if it ain't bars, don't say amen, amen, mark 438.
But he was in the stern, a Sleep on a pillow, and they awoke him and said to him teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? The disciples were not prepared for storms and they thus erroneously believed That what they were facing was due to the lack of God's love. Do not be confused by the circumstances you face into believing that God is not for you. He is unequivocally for you. There is nothing that you can do, not a performance, not good, bad, ugly or indifferent that can make him love you any less than you are loved. And I say it even to the religious folk there is nothing that you can say, do or perform that will make him love you any more. You have the zenith of God's love right where you are, so that you do not have to religiously perform and get on a hamster wheel. You need to simply just believe. But in believing and going big and going deeper, you need to have your eyes open and be prepared, because it's not the question of if these troubles will come. It's when and when they come. I want you to stand lockstep with Jesus so you can knock that sucker on its butt. I'm all over the fringe area, i'm using words like butt and sermon like this Hallelujah.
We are not exempt from the full human experience. Neither was Jesus. Here's a fact that many people don't acknowledge. Do you know? Jesus had to poop. No, nobody thinks about this. He was 100% human. He had to deal with walking. Like, if you're the divine, don't you just want to float? He had to walk. He got tired, he had to preach and eat and then like oh, i don't know about your hummus, but this, oh gosh, he dealt with the human experience. We are not exempt from it.
Some of us have been lied to and told that because we are now Christians, it is all perfect. You think it's the Mary J Blight song. No more drama. Like no, there is drama, but thankfully, oh God, hallelujah, jesus loves the drama. He stays in your drama. He encourages you through your drama, in the height of your drama. He is for you and with you. Nothing can stop him from being with you. He is Emmanuel God with us. Despite that, jesus is in the drama. Aren't you so glad He's in your boat and in your drama. He's in your storm.
There's not one thing that you can go through today that you can't say that Jesus is not on your side, even the things that come as a consequence for your haphazard behavior. Oh, nobody gave it amen. To that one I'm gonna say amen. There are some things in my life right now that happen all because of me. It wasn't the devil, it wasn't Jesus, it wasn't God, that was me. I love that.
Jesus gets in the drama. He's not scared of the drama. He dispels the drama. He speaks prophetically before the drama even starts. He battles your issues during the drama and I do stress your issues because he gave us an example of what he does with drama versus what we do with drama. Drama arose and he addressed it Unconcerned Ooh. Think about your life and think about what it would look like the next time something happened and instead of freaking out, you trusted that God was going to take care of it.
Somebody gets sick? Oh, we need to go to the hospital. Yep, we're gonna pray. They're gonna get healed. Well, that bill needs to get paid. Yep, because he meets all my needs according to his riches and glory. What is it that you can go through that? the God of heaven won't be there for you? There's no circumstance that I've seen on this earth that he is not able to tackle. I've seen people brought out from the deepest and lowest depression of wanting to take their life, and I've seen God give them joy and wake up every day happy Again. We don't get to escape this human experience. I'm gonna prophesy to you right now, tomorrow is Monday.
Bars. That's mind-blowing, and the reason I say that is because this earth is still spinning. I think back to David. We all like to identify with David. David is the man after God's own heart. David was anointed to be king. It's this radically powerful moment anointed by God, literally. The Hebrew tradition is that there was a seal of wax over a ram's horn And the prophet Samuel would hold it and it would only dispel or melt out, and then the oil would come out upon the Lord's anointed. And he did it with all seven of his brothers. No, i don't think he'd have won. You don't got no more kids Till. finally, david is anointed king over all Israel. And guess what happened? Because he, like us, he's been called to this amazing privilege position, because we are the children of the Most High God, we are Christians, we are them that have been given the secrets of the kingdom of God. And guess what he had to do after this immense and glorious privilege of being the next king of Israel? Back to the shape. He experienced that prophetic word. He experienced that prophetic word. Tomorrow is Monday And you too, after being called to this illustrious life, i'm sorry to inform you, but tomorrow is still Monday.
But and here's the part, and I actually don't like to preach too much on this. Pastor James no, me and him talk about this all the time. I don't really like to preach like this on a Sunday morning because there are tremendous benefits to having Jesus in your boat. There are so many glorious benefits. And the reason why I don't like to preach like this on a Sunday is because there are a lot of non-Christians here. There are a lot of future Christians here, there are unbelievers and people that are going to be believers, and the benefits package is so crazy that I don't want people just coming to Jesus just for his stuff and his hand. I need people to come to the end of themselves and recognize their need for a savior, and there is no way to the Father except through Jesus. It's not in any other religion, not in performance and not in religion. It's only in you trusting and knowing that Jesus is the only way to save you. So it's hard for me, but I can't get away from the fact that it is delicious to be a Christian. It is magnificent.
When I get sick, he heals my body. When I have a need, he meets it. Every time I need him there. He's with me. When I'm down, he gives me joy. When I'm depressed, he picks me up. When I was lonely, he gave me the greatest creation the world has ever seen And yes, i'm talking about my wife, if y'all don't know her, that's your loss. What can he do When he's in your boat? he literally makes everything better So that even when circumstances come, sometimes I invite them because I'm a low key. I like to see him move. I used to get frustrated at circumstances because, again, i didn't choose them.
Why is this here? Did you call this in? What was this? you Who ordered the sickness? Who ordered the untimely death that I got to now go perform this funeral? Was that you?
All these things that we wouldn't pick for ourselves? All diseases lack Jesus. He comes in and He destroys every one of them And I find it so glorious I get to see Him as He is, as a deliverer, as a Savior. His name literally means salvation. Yeshua, salvation And worship team, you can come up. I'll close with this Because, again, the benefits are there and they're strong, and I do want you to come to Jesus just on the merits of Him being your Savior. But I can't act like it's not a real thing that when Jesus enters your life, he protects you from the very things that I'm telling you are on their way.
Let me read you the Scripture John 6.15. Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him King, he departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. Now, when evening came, his disciples went down to the sea and got into the boat and went over the sea toward Capernaum, and it was already dark and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rode about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat and they were afraid. But He said to them it is, i do not be afraid. Now take notice of verse 21. Then they willingly received Him into the boat and immediately somebody say immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. Have you ever read this and caught this?
Something happens when you willingly invite Jesus into the boat, which is your life, because, again, i don't want to just sell you on this, jesus, but there is a benefit to having Jesus in your boat. Not only does He give you the example of how to respond to the storm. Not only does He give you the reassurance that you will get to the other side because when He gives you a word, you can take it to the bank, because He is God and He cannot lie But did you see the supernatural miracle that takes place here? They were rowing and rowing and rowing for three to four miles and they weren't making any headway and all of a sudden, jesus two stepping on the water. No, it's Jesus. No, that's not Jesus, it's a ghost. I'm afraid He's like. No, it's me. All right, i'm not afraid.
The Bible is very intentional. They willingly received Him into the boat and after they willingly received Him because there's two words that are important here willingly and immediately The Bible says that they toiled, they were getting nowhere, and then, immediately after Jesus is in the boat, they end up on land. Am I the only one who's seeing this in the Scriptures? I dare you to invite Jesus into your boat. I dare you to believe that any circumstance that comes your way, he is going to knock that thing out of the water and He is going to empower you and enable you to get to the other side. And sometimes it's going to be in supernatural fashion.
I am not afraid to remind you that the God that we serve is mystical and powerful. He's not a western God of intellect, he's a mystical eastern God of miracle and power, sign and wonder. I've seen people seen with my own eyes, not heard stories. People healed from HIV, people healed from cancer and blood disorder and disease. I see it on a regular.
You know the healing rooms are coming up July 8th. If you stick in your body, come and let so that you can see it too. We see God, heal, move, deliver Supernaturally. God will enter your life and the things that enter your life that you didn't choose, He will battle them for you. He will be there with you. So we're going to sing soon, but before we do we're going to take communion and you can hand out the elements.
And I think it's important and I'm glad that it falls on today, because what communion does is the Bible says that in taking communion we are proclaiming the Lord's death till He comes. What does that mean? Proclaiming the Lord's death is us proclaiming all of what He did and the benefits that come from what He did. When you take communion, what you're doing is you're shouting out loud saying I am forgiven of all of my sins. I am divinely healed from all sickness, disease and disease. You are saying that I am perfectly provided for financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Again, i told you I don't like to sell Jesus, but the truth is the truth. You can proclaim the Lord's death. You can, in the midst of your valley of going through life and circumstances, you can believe to get to the other side, because He already did it. He died for you and as you, in your place. Every one of us deserve death.
The Bible says that the wage of sin is death and all have fallen short of the glory of God. But Jesus, in this divine exchange, he takes our sin, gives us His righteousness, gives us His perfect position in God And He says you belong to me now. Any storm that comes against you has to face me. So think about the things in your life that are not lining up, whether it be your finances, whether it be your health, whether it be your relationships. And, yes, that means that there might be a discrepancy there, where the Lord needs to work out some things in you, because you seem to be the common denominator of all your bad relationships. But He can do it. Listen, i'm a horrible person without Jesus. I'm going to tell you right now I'm really sweet right now because I have Him, but without Him I suck. But thanks be to God that He's with me and every day He's making me better. And that can be your testimony too.
If you're in this room today and you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, i want to invite you to receive Him as Lord. Remember I spoke at the top of this message If Jesus is not the Lord of all, all areas of your life, then He's not Lord at all. Do not put Him in His little play. Oh, that's my Sunday thing. He's not a supplement that you just add to your life. He is your life.
So, as we take this, we're taking communion by faith. We're taking it believing that the forgiveness of sins now belongs to us by faith. We're taking that to mean that we are now sons and daughters of the Most High God. We are acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord and we do not belong to ourselves, for we have been bought with a price by the blood of Jesus. His sacrifice enables us to be the children of God. If that's for you today and you desire that, eat and drink with us And remember the benefits that come with it. Proclaim His death, go big, don't be afraid of the storms because He's with you, but know that they're coming, but you don't have to be afraid of them. Let's eat and drink and sing to the Lord.
0:53:40 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church Podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jansik in City Light Church, visit us at CityLightNYCcom. That's CityLightNYCcom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to CityLight Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that He has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that He has a real hope and a future for you.
0:01:06 - Speaker 3
We have a great treat because Pastor Moe is going to bring the Word today. Yes, you know, pastor Moe is our community pastor. He loves on you, he is a fantastic leader in our church and he has a great Word that he wants to share with you. So you gave a little preview, but let's put our hands together and give a thunderous applause as we welcome Pastor Moe to the stage.
0:01:33 - Speaker 1
Well, bless the Lord. I mean, was it really thunderous though? Good morning church. How you guys feeling Good, good By show of hands. How many people were here last week? Raise your hand, god. I love the good retention rate. Praise God.
Well, for those of you who weren't here, pastor James actually did the preaching and he gave a tremendous Word. If you haven't heard it yet even those that are watching online, if you haven't heard it, stream it, watch it. It's on YouTube, all of our streaming platforms, online social media go and listen to this message. It will bless, strengthen and encourage your life. It will challenge you, but in a good way. I'm not like a challenging, like you go to the gym and then you hate your personal trainer type of thing. I don't mean like that, like it'll literally make you want to be better. You know he preached on going big The. You know BIG. Like BIG, go big. You know the B is for being present. Don't just be a religious person who goes to church. Actually be present, but then go a step further, even from that, and get involved, and then, finally, you would give You would. He actually shares something with us often when, within our staff meetings, he speaks about these concentric circles of fellowship. So literally you can start on the periphery and the outside and the more you get acclimated and comfortable in your faith, you continue to take these steps forward into the inner circle where you're not just an attender, somebody who's coming a little bit after worship just started and then leaving a little bit before the service ends, so you don't have to talk to anybody, listen if that's, you just say amen and move on. We're growing, we're growing, but you know you get to take these steps inward and upward Amen. So for me, all of that, when I heard the message, what I really heard was a boiled down invitation to surrender, to surrender, total life surrender to Jesus and his kingship and his lordship.
You know, i've learned that over my extensive Christian history and really that would be where my daughter would just call me old. I was telling people in the 10 am. Sometimes I want to punch my daughter in the throat. Only the parents understand that All the singles are like Pastor Moe. I mean, if you have kids you understand like I really really love my kids and guess what I like them. They're like really fun to hang out with. But every now and again I just want to punch her in the throat and not like a I don't want to like pull back, i just real quick just to just to move, because you know she has this way of like not being rude because she's actually telling the truth, but it's staying so bad because it's the truth.
So, like I said, she would say that I'm old, but I've learned in my extensive Christian history I literally hear her in the back of my head pretty old that if Jesus this is what I've learned that if Jesus is not Lord of all, then he's not Lord at all. Meaning that you can't compartmentalize and put these different areas to say, well, this one is fully devoted to Jesus, this one, i'm working on this It's either you give yourself totally to the fact that you're not yours anymore and you were bought with a price and you actually belong to him, or you're going through the motions of some form of religion and posturing and preening of getting God's approval unnecessarily, because really what the Lord is calling us to and what Pastor James was challenging us into is surrender, and I think the most perfect follow up to that message is to equip the saints with the proper perspective on surrender, the proper perspective of the surrendered. I should say Amen, we're in for a treat. Oh, and how about this? I've learned that mis-expectation gives birth to disappointment, and the reason that I'm saying that is because, again, i want to equip you and I want to arm you with the proper perspective. How many of you have ever believed and hoped for something, only to see it not line up exactly the way you thought it was, and you were disappointed? This is amazing. Thank you, james. Listen, i'll give you some help right now.
For all the married folk. You can lie right now because your spouse is next to you. If you're married, you've experienced this before where you have had an expectation of one thing and that thing did not happen the way you thought it was and it gave birth to disappointment. And because there was disappointment and repeated disappointment, it actually furthered itself into resentment and that grew into bitterness. See, people say that the number one reason that people fail marriages and get divorced is because of money. I would say right up there, 50-50 with it, is uncommunicated expectations, where now you're believing and desiring the person to do A, but you've not actually taken the time to articulate that desire, but you're expecting them to do it and when they don't do it, you feel the way and it births this horrible vicious cycle. I know you won't say A man, but you will say okay. So we need this perspective. If we're going to go big, we have to have the right perspective and make sure that we have proper expectations so we're not caught unawares.
You know, the other day I had a financial advisor in my home and it's not that I was like eliciting all this and maybe he works like one of the big banks. I didn't really have him over to elicit financial. We were just talking basketball, eating chicken wings. It's what we do. He's a man of God, he's a friend, and we were talking a little bit about this particular topic and he chimed in. He said you know, i often tell people who come to me wanting to make investments that you have to give them a preview of the climate, of what it will look like. Some people tell you right off the bat like, okay, i want to get you know maybe minimal gains that involve low risk, so maybe 2 to 5%, 5 to 7 or something like that And he gives them like, listen, he gives them the full update of. You can do that, but understand, in the course of time there will be some highs, there will be some lows, there will be some dips, and I just want to prepare you for it so you don't freak out when it comes and then take all your money and run. He said now and there are some people who go, no, i want 5 to 8, sometimes 10, and he's like, listen, we can do that, but again, you need to prepare yourself. There will be some highs, there will be some lows and there's the potential for risk and loss. We need to prepare ourselves in the same way. You ready to take the ride with me? Okay, okay, mark 435. On the same day, when evening had come, he said to them let us cross over to the other side. Now, when they had left the multitude, they took him along in the boat as he was, and other little boats also with him, and I got a note right there when it says that it took him as he was.
We're speaking about Jesus, but the context of this is that Jesus has been ministering from sun up to sun down. He is now. This is where he is positionally. He is on a boat a little bit off to shore and, because of the geography of that area, there were cliffs and mountains and it almost created a natural amphitheater where his voice was pushed off of the wind and it was able to be amplified. And here he is ministering to thousands for the entire day.
How about this? to give you a little insight sometimes, into what preachers experience Everything that tried to stop you from getting here today, everything that tried to discourage you and make you not want to engage in the things of God and comfort community. I now have to wrestle with every one of them that followed you, because it's my job today to deliver the word of God, and there's only like a hundred or something people in here. He was doing it with thousands ministering and coming against all the spiritual opposition and resistance, And it's not a thing ever to be afraid of, because we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, amen. But it is something to take note of because the Bible is very specific and clear and not one period, not one team. Everything is in there for no reason, and it says that they took him as he was. The man was tired, so let's continue.
Let's start with verse 36. Now, when they had left the multitude, they took him along in the boat as he was, and other little boats also with him and a great windstorm arose and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. And he was in the stern, in the back of the boat, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke him and said to him teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Then he arose and rebuked the wind in the sea and said peace, be still. And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But he said to them why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly and said to one another who can this be that even the wind and the seas obey him? So what do we see here? Another classic example of the disciples freaking out. But I think it's funny, though, because it's not just them freaking out, it's specifically why they're freaking out. Have you ever looked at this and thought to yourself what exactly is the problem? When I look at this, what the Lord is highlighting to me they were freaking out because Jesus was in the boat And I look at this with the Lord is highlighting to me. They were freaking out because Jesus was in the boat. Jesus wasn't outside the boat, he wasn't on the shore, he wasn't in another country, he was in their boat And they thought they were going to die with Jesus in their boat.
Some of you might not be able to identify OG Christians. They'll let you know. Man, listen, i've been through some rough roads but Jesus was with me. Because when you're new and you don't have the proper perspective and things start going awry, you don't exactly know what to think. But when you look and see Jesus in your boat and you still are facing circumstances that you wouldn't choose for yourself, hello See, the disciples were in this place where they were thinking we've got the son of God, We've got Jesus.
It's all roses, baby. Jesus said let's go to the other side, let's go. Everything was all gravy. When it was all good, they thought it was all roses. But Come here, come here, come here. Jesus smelled amazing and they looked beautiful. But they've also got thorns.
I told my wife when she walked in. I said you're going to have to pray my strength, because it always just happens that the Lord always wants to give me the messages that are not rah, rah, happy. Hey, man, brother, go for it. I want to invite you today to have the proper perspective on the fact that trouble is coming, tribulation is coming Man. I love problems So amazing. Nobody ever says that.
But here these disciples are experiencing this firsthand an unfortunate truth that every one of us is going to have to come to grips with. That even after getting saved, you are not exempt from the human experience, because if you're going through something and you're unaware of what's about to happen next, you are blindsided thereby. I almost feel like I want to do the object lesson. But again, as I said in the first service, nobody wants to get punched in the face on a Sunday morning. Keith, could you stand up? Keith is a large, nice, healthy man. I feel like with enough force and enough strength I might be able to push Keith over. But if he has his eyes open it gets harder and harder to do that because he's prepared and he can brace himself and go not today festival. But if he closed his eyes and he didn't know what direction I was coming from or how fast I might can get him. Thank you, brother.
So we know that sometimes these things, that again we would never pick for ourselves, these unsavory circumstances and situations, if we're not looking for them and we don't think that it's possible that they can come, we have our eyes closed like the emu bird of the ostrich and just put our head in the sand. When these things do come, you will get caught on a wares, and that is not what the Lord has called you to be. He called you to be circumspect and sober, to have your wits about you and to be ready When he calls you to go big and to take this next step, to go in. You didn't realize this. He wasn't just calling you to be a Christian, he was enlisting you to be mobilized in an army. Two people got excited for that.
I literally just heard in my spirit some people like listen, i was just trying to get out of hell. What It's real. But let me tell you what Jesus says. John 1633 says this This is Jesus speaking These things. I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.
It's another word for trouble. It's another word for unchosen circumstance, problem issues, drama. Everybody likes drama. But I love what he says Be of good cheer. He says you're in the world and the world is going to give you stuff that you don't want, but I have overcome the world and in me you have peace, hallelujah. I just want you to prove this point further. Really, all of this is today is me equipping you with the fact that trouble is coming, yay, but I just want you to have the perspective so that you're not shaken. I don't want you like this and somebody pushes you over. I want you standing ready so that, even before they come, you really want to do this. Listen, that's a whole other preaching, where you can look at trouble even before it comes and you can go. I did See. Let me share a little bit about. I'm going to go there just for the sake of realness, so that people can understand this. There are normal people and then there are African Americans. I'm going to say this, don't be offended.
I've been African American a long time. I know this. This is real. We have a wish spirit sometimes. My wife will tell you this. I'm one of the most holy men on this planet. I'm a lover of Jesus, but sometimes my fuse is real short and the Lord is working with me every day to make it better. And I also, too, have a wish spirit because sometimes, when I'm driving and people cut me off, i go.
I wish you would. When I'm waiting in line and things are not going right, and I go I wish you would. But, like I said, the Lord is working with me. I don't need you to judge me. They all judge me already. Where were we? These issues? they come right. I need you guys to be prepared. I need you to be strengthened. I need you to look at your issues as they come and go. I wish you would. I have access to the name of Jesus. The Bible says that all things are subject to the name of Jesus. The very weather, elements and circumstances of all of creation is subject to the name of Jesus, and all authority under heaven and earth has been given unto Jesus, who is the head of the church, and I am his body. I wish you would. So it's not all bad to be a wish person.
So let's look at Paul for a minute. We can all identify Paul as somebody who's going big. There's a real Christian. He's showing up, he's volunteering, he's going to Pastor Moe's life group, the tendons is. He gives, he serves. He is a committed Christian in the kingdom, amen. But let's read about some of the circumstances of his life. And just for context, even before we start reading, he's in this situation because he has been falsely imprisoned, shipwrecked and awaiting trial before Caesar. That's just some of the context. Let's read This is a man who wrote about two thirds of the New Testament, a man that God chose, who he knew God, a man who went to the third heaven and heard things that it was not legal for him to say when he got back to earth. But this is a man who knew Jesus, but yet this was his life.
Acts 28, verses two to six. It says the people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us. As Paul gathered in an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other a murderer no doubt. Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live, but Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead, but they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn't harmed. They changed their minds and decided he was a God.
I could literally see some of us in that circumstance. I have seen Christians lose their salvation, start cursing God because they stub their toe Here. This man is imprisoned for the sake of the gospel and he is just the happy go lucky one trying to encourage everybody. They just been shipped, wrecked, almost lost their life and he is gathering sticks to be helpful. Like the Lord is going to join the Lord and with me. I'm going to get these sticks right here, throw them on the floor.
Notice that the Bible doesn't say, after the snake bit him, that he cursed God. The Bible doesn't say that he started screaming Why Jesus? The Bible doesn't say that he started complaining. The Bible says that he did what? See, when you have the proper perspective when circumstances come, you will actually learn from Jesus's example. Jesus handles storms differently than you do. Remember, jesus was in the boat and anything and anywhere that he is, he does for an example to us. He showed us what we need to do to our storms. That's how you should be treating the trouble in your life. Now I'm good, i Know who's with me, i know where I'm going. But we don't do that. We freak out. Oh my god, did you see that bill Man, the IRS is calling me Pastor James.
Oh man, i don't know what I'm gonna do about this. And we worry and we do the thing. We circle, circle, circle, circle problem. We call people to circle the problem with us And we're not exactly looking for prayer or solution. We just look to talk about it or complain about it and go Who? I mean, i don't understand. I'll be praying.
I go to church. What? why, yo, a couple months back, on a Wednesday, we have two cars in our family. Just because you know, sundays become hard because we got to go different directions. My wife doesn't work for the church, so she shouldn't be here at seven in the morning when we start setting up, amen. I Get a call. My car has been wrecked in a hit-and-run on the highway. This is Wednesday. Thursday I get a call that the second car has been hit-and-run on the highway.
Now there's the temptation to go And complain and moan and Be grudge God and say I don't understand you, god. I Shake my fist in frustration. The temptation is there, but I serve a bigger God who, just like the disciples in the boat and this is the part that we miss sometimes He has prepared us how to handle these circumstances. They don't just come because what did he tell the disciples on the boat even before they hit the waters? Let's go to The other side. See, that's a small detail, but some of us have been missing that in our life. When God gives you a word, that is the encouragement and the direction and the empowerment to face anything, because I don't have to worry about the in-between. If God told me the end result already, he said let's go to the other side. That's important, because it's one thing. If I tell you hey, meet me down at the Jerk shack or shake shack, whatever they call his place, okay, maybe he might show up, maybe he not, but when God says something, do you know that the God that we serve.
He cannot lie, no, no, no, i'm serious like he can't. It's not that he's just Morally upright and chooses never. He can't lie. There's too much power at play. When he said let there be light. History and science has told us that from the moment light has existed, it has gone for. So really, that moment looks more like this let there be light and lights said like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like. And to this day, science has confirmed that our universe is ever expanding. Because he said it and it has no choice but to be So.
When you get God Almighty, who sits on the throne, who died in your place for you and as you and redeemed you, and he tells you go to the other, the problem I have sometimes is we don't actually believe. We take a cursory believing because it sounds nice, but we don't Internalize that thing so that it affects all of our decision-making. Because, again, if we would truly get this, what it really means Is that when God says that he, he's not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent, what he's trying to say is I can't lie, meaning if God said today that this microphone was black, all of creation would have to conform itself because he said that it was white. So the reason he can't lies because there's too much power. And when he says that you are gonna make it, you got to stop giving into your feelings, because your feelings that have you up one day and then down another, you eat a little bit of pizza and you'll wake up thinking life is gonna end, when really all you have to do is go back three steps to the anchor point and the cheat code that he gave you to, which says Let's go to the other side. See, jesus acts them very pointed and specifically. What's that? Oh, that's the pastor Muhammad paraphrase Bible. By the way, he said what's up? number one, you messed up my nap, but uh, i like. Why are you worried? I, oh, i already said Go to the other side, meaning there's not anything in the created world that can stop you from. Oh God, i wish we could get that. We would be so empowered for victory if we would take him at his word the first time.
I Can't tell you how many times I have seen Circumstance in situation that I would never choose for myself, and it comes. But I remember what he said initially And I'm not listen. I wish that I could tell you that I've gone through these circumstances Like a proud Christian soldier. I have been dragged by the will of God, kicking and screaming and complaining, only to end up at the other side and go. Man, i knew you had it all along, jesus. It's only a 21 day fast, bro, he's a. Then I call you to the back. I know you call me to the fast, jesus, but the burgers be calling me law. Oh, and you know you, you go through these things.
But I've learned, having come on the other side of so many times, god's faithfulness coming through, that when I get to the valley, i Remember the mountain top of answered prayer, the mountain top of God's faithfulness. You know, i asked my wife the other day because she's believing, since for some things I said you know, do you? do you remember the feeling For the last time? he answered the prayer And you might say well, what is feeling have to do with that? because feeling will encourage you and remind you back to that point Of faith when you said no, i trust God to do that and regardless of what happened on the in between. The end result was he did it. Sometimes you got to go back to that moment and that's your monument stone, that that is your Shepherd stick, like David, where you write the testimonies of God and you go. I remember when I was in need And the Lord came through and he did it. And he did it contrary to everything that was around me, because how many know that sometimes, when the Lord gives you that, that word of direction and confirmation, that Prophetic word that encourages you, that word of instruction that commands you to go forward, that sometimes not sometimes pretty much all the time After he says that that what's going to be presented to you is the exact opposite of what he said.
Come on, single people, listen, i haven't been married that long that I don't remember. I'm gonna bless you with a wife. And then it got real cold, it got real lonely. It's like Lord, have you forgotten me? Jesus, feel like I'm in Siberia over here. Where's the love To? one day she just showed up.
You cannot make this stuff up, like when I look you, some of you don't, and I hate this as a pastor, because We, we, we don't like to encourage people with these supernatural stories of how you met your spouse, And sometimes it's super normal and it's not supernatural. I just happen to have one that kind of is. But, but I encourage the normal. Have some coffee with your friends and look, this is taking a left turn, but I feel in it. Oh, i got to encourage the single people like listen, because we're waiting for this Magic moment between people and really all you really need to be doing right now as a single person is doing your best, living your Christian life in community. When you start running for the Lord, i Don't need you to now be evaluating and praying 21 days Lord the one, you just do your part and you run for the Lord and you run after him and you seek his face and you go big. And While you're going big and you're running, i want you to look to the left and I want you to look to the right and I want you to look at who's keeping pace. Listen, don't you be looking back to the club where they don't even know there's a race. That's not it. Look at who's like. They might not even notice you. They running so well They don't know how to look left to right, so you might have to lovingly encourage them and go. Hey, i, i've been running this race and I kind of noticed that You kind of keep in pace. Listen, if it ain't bars, don't say amen, amen, mark 438.
But he was in the stern, a Sleep on a pillow, and they awoke him and said to him teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? The disciples were not prepared for storms and they thus erroneously believed That what they were facing was due to the lack of God's love. Do not be confused by the circumstances you face into believing that God is not for you. He is unequivocally for you. There is nothing that you can do, not a performance, not good, bad, ugly or indifferent that can make him love you any less than you are loved. And I say it even to the religious folk there is nothing that you can say, do or perform that will make him love you any more. You have the zenith of God's love right where you are, so that you do not have to religiously perform and get on a hamster wheel. You need to simply just believe. But in believing and going big and going deeper, you need to have your eyes open and be prepared, because it's not the question of if these troubles will come. It's when and when they come. I want you to stand lockstep with Jesus so you can knock that sucker on its butt. I'm all over the fringe area, i'm using words like butt and sermon like this Hallelujah.
We are not exempt from the full human experience. Neither was Jesus. Here's a fact that many people don't acknowledge. Do you know? Jesus had to poop. No, nobody thinks about this. He was 100% human. He had to deal with walking. Like, if you're the divine, don't you just want to float? He had to walk. He got tired, he had to preach and eat and then like oh, i don't know about your hummus, but this, oh gosh, he dealt with the human experience. We are not exempt from it.
Some of us have been lied to and told that because we are now Christians, it is all perfect. You think it's the Mary J Blight song. No more drama. Like no, there is drama, but thankfully, oh God, hallelujah, jesus loves the drama. He stays in your drama. He encourages you through your drama, in the height of your drama. He is for you and with you. Nothing can stop him from being with you. He is Emmanuel God with us. Despite that, jesus is in the drama. Aren't you so glad He's in your boat and in your drama. He's in your storm.
There's not one thing that you can go through today that you can't say that Jesus is not on your side, even the things that come as a consequence for your haphazard behavior. Oh, nobody gave it amen. To that one I'm gonna say amen. There are some things in my life right now that happen all because of me. It wasn't the devil, it wasn't Jesus, it wasn't God, that was me. I love that.
Jesus gets in the drama. He's not scared of the drama. He dispels the drama. He speaks prophetically before the drama even starts. He battles your issues during the drama and I do stress your issues because he gave us an example of what he does with drama versus what we do with drama. Drama arose and he addressed it Unconcerned Ooh. Think about your life and think about what it would look like the next time something happened and instead of freaking out, you trusted that God was going to take care of it.
Somebody gets sick? Oh, we need to go to the hospital. Yep, we're gonna pray. They're gonna get healed. Well, that bill needs to get paid. Yep, because he meets all my needs according to his riches and glory. What is it that you can go through that? the God of heaven won't be there for you? There's no circumstance that I've seen on this earth that he is not able to tackle. I've seen people brought out from the deepest and lowest depression of wanting to take their life, and I've seen God give them joy and wake up every day happy Again. We don't get to escape this human experience. I'm gonna prophesy to you right now, tomorrow is Monday.
Bars. That's mind-blowing, and the reason I say that is because this earth is still spinning. I think back to David. We all like to identify with David. David is the man after God's own heart. David was anointed to be king. It's this radically powerful moment anointed by God, literally. The Hebrew tradition is that there was a seal of wax over a ram's horn And the prophet Samuel would hold it and it would only dispel or melt out, and then the oil would come out upon the Lord's anointed. And he did it with all seven of his brothers. No, i don't think he'd have won. You don't got no more kids Till. finally, david is anointed king over all Israel. And guess what happened? Because he, like us, he's been called to this amazing privilege position, because we are the children of the Most High God, we are Christians, we are them that have been given the secrets of the kingdom of God. And guess what he had to do after this immense and glorious privilege of being the next king of Israel? Back to the shape. He experienced that prophetic word. He experienced that prophetic word. Tomorrow is Monday And you too, after being called to this illustrious life, i'm sorry to inform you, but tomorrow is still Monday.
But and here's the part, and I actually don't like to preach too much on this. Pastor James no, me and him talk about this all the time. I don't really like to preach like this on a Sunday morning because there are tremendous benefits to having Jesus in your boat. There are so many glorious benefits. And the reason why I don't like to preach like this on a Sunday is because there are a lot of non-Christians here. There are a lot of future Christians here, there are unbelievers and people that are going to be believers, and the benefits package is so crazy that I don't want people just coming to Jesus just for his stuff and his hand. I need people to come to the end of themselves and recognize their need for a savior, and there is no way to the Father except through Jesus. It's not in any other religion, not in performance and not in religion. It's only in you trusting and knowing that Jesus is the only way to save you. So it's hard for me, but I can't get away from the fact that it is delicious to be a Christian. It is magnificent.
When I get sick, he heals my body. When I have a need, he meets it. Every time I need him there. He's with me. When I'm down, he gives me joy. When I'm depressed, he picks me up. When I was lonely, he gave me the greatest creation the world has ever seen And yes, i'm talking about my wife, if y'all don't know her, that's your loss. What can he do When he's in your boat? he literally makes everything better So that even when circumstances come, sometimes I invite them because I'm a low key. I like to see him move. I used to get frustrated at circumstances because, again, i didn't choose them.
Why is this here? Did you call this in? What was this? you Who ordered the sickness? Who ordered the untimely death that I got to now go perform this funeral? Was that you?
All these things that we wouldn't pick for ourselves? All diseases lack Jesus. He comes in and He destroys every one of them And I find it so glorious I get to see Him as He is, as a deliverer, as a Savior. His name literally means salvation. Yeshua, salvation And worship team, you can come up. I'll close with this Because, again, the benefits are there and they're strong, and I do want you to come to Jesus just on the merits of Him being your Savior. But I can't act like it's not a real thing that when Jesus enters your life, he protects you from the very things that I'm telling you are on their way.
Let me read you the Scripture John 6.15. Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him King, he departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. Now, when evening came, his disciples went down to the sea and got into the boat and went over the sea toward Capernaum, and it was already dark and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rode about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat and they were afraid. But He said to them it is, i do not be afraid. Now take notice of verse 21. Then they willingly received Him into the boat and immediately somebody say immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. Have you ever read this and caught this?
Something happens when you willingly invite Jesus into the boat, which is your life, because, again, i don't want to just sell you on this, jesus, but there is a benefit to having Jesus in your boat. Not only does He give you the example of how to respond to the storm. Not only does He give you the reassurance that you will get to the other side because when He gives you a word, you can take it to the bank, because He is God and He cannot lie But did you see the supernatural miracle that takes place here? They were rowing and rowing and rowing for three to four miles and they weren't making any headway and all of a sudden, jesus two stepping on the water. No, it's Jesus. No, that's not Jesus, it's a ghost. I'm afraid He's like. No, it's me. All right, i'm not afraid.
The Bible is very intentional. They willingly received Him into the boat and after they willingly received Him because there's two words that are important here willingly and immediately The Bible says that they toiled, they were getting nowhere, and then, immediately after Jesus is in the boat, they end up on land. Am I the only one who's seeing this in the Scriptures? I dare you to invite Jesus into your boat. I dare you to believe that any circumstance that comes your way, he is going to knock that thing out of the water and He is going to empower you and enable you to get to the other side. And sometimes it's going to be in supernatural fashion.
I am not afraid to remind you that the God that we serve is mystical and powerful. He's not a western God of intellect, he's a mystical eastern God of miracle and power, sign and wonder. I've seen people seen with my own eyes, not heard stories. People healed from HIV, people healed from cancer and blood disorder and disease. I see it on a regular.
You know the healing rooms are coming up July 8th. If you stick in your body, come and let so that you can see it too. We see God, heal, move, deliver Supernaturally. God will enter your life and the things that enter your life that you didn't choose, He will battle them for you. He will be there with you. So we're going to sing soon, but before we do we're going to take communion and you can hand out the elements.
And I think it's important and I'm glad that it falls on today, because what communion does is the Bible says that in taking communion we are proclaiming the Lord's death till He comes. What does that mean? Proclaiming the Lord's death is us proclaiming all of what He did and the benefits that come from what He did. When you take communion, what you're doing is you're shouting out loud saying I am forgiven of all of my sins. I am divinely healed from all sickness, disease and disease. You are saying that I am perfectly provided for financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Again, i told you I don't like to sell Jesus, but the truth is the truth. You can proclaim the Lord's death. You can, in the midst of your valley of going through life and circumstances, you can believe to get to the other side, because He already did it. He died for you and as you, in your place. Every one of us deserve death.
The Bible says that the wage of sin is death and all have fallen short of the glory of God. But Jesus, in this divine exchange, he takes our sin, gives us His righteousness, gives us His perfect position in God And He says you belong to me now. Any storm that comes against you has to face me. So think about the things in your life that are not lining up, whether it be your finances, whether it be your health, whether it be your relationships. And, yes, that means that there might be a discrepancy there, where the Lord needs to work out some things in you, because you seem to be the common denominator of all your bad relationships. But He can do it. Listen, i'm a horrible person without Jesus. I'm going to tell you right now I'm really sweet right now because I have Him, but without Him I suck. But thanks be to God that He's with me and every day He's making me better. And that can be your testimony too.
If you're in this room today and you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, i want to invite you to receive Him as Lord. Remember I spoke at the top of this message If Jesus is not the Lord of all, all areas of your life, then He's not Lord at all. Do not put Him in His little play. Oh, that's my Sunday thing. He's not a supplement that you just add to your life. He is your life.
So, as we take this, we're taking communion by faith. We're taking it believing that the forgiveness of sins now belongs to us by faith. We're taking that to mean that we are now sons and daughters of the Most High God. We are acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord and we do not belong to ourselves, for we have been bought with a price by the blood of Jesus. His sacrifice enables us to be the children of God. If that's for you today and you desire that, eat and drink with us And remember the benefits that come with it. Proclaim His death, go big, don't be afraid of the storms because He's with you, but know that they're coming, but you don't have to be afraid of them. Let's eat and drink and sing to the Lord.
0:53:40 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church Podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jansik in City Light Church, visit us at CityLightNYCcom. That's CityLightNYCcom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to CityLight Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.
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